Just like that, a whole month quietly slipped by.
Day after day, Xiao Wei followed the same routine—training, practicing, and refining, each moment building upon the last. Now, deep within his secluded cave in Tiger Mountain, he sat cross-legged in front of the cauldron. The air inside the cave was warm, filled with the faint scent of herbs and Spiritual Energy.
Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as he focused all his attention on the cauldron before him. His hands moved with steady precision, guiding his Soul Power into the flame beneath it, carefully adjusting the heat while keeping the mixture inside stable. The soft flicker of the fire cast dancing shadows across the cave walls.
Minutes passed in silence, the tension slowly rising—until, suddenly, a soft pop sounded from within the cauldron, breaking the stillness.
Xiao Wei's eyes lit up with relief and pride. He removed the lid, and a gentle herbal fragrance filled the air, confirming his success.
"Finally… I've finished refining all the Tier 1 pills."Xiao Wei murmured to himself, a small smile forming on his lips.
His voice echoed softly in the cave, carried by the still air, though no one else was there to witness it.
Over the course of the month, Xiao Wei dedicated himself fully to his alchemy training within the quiet solitude of the cave. He worked through every batch of Tier 1 ingredients he had, carefully refining them into pills.
By the end of the month, the results spoke for themselves. Xiao Wei had successfully refined a total of 260 Tier 1 Spirit Power Pills. Out of these, 80 were of High Grade Tier 1 Spirit Power Pill and the remainings were Middle Grade Tier 1 Spirit Power Pill.
In addition to the Spirit Power Pills, he had also spent time working on Detoxification Pills. And managed to produce 70 Middle Grade Tier 1 Detoxification Pills, each carefully crafted with precision and care.
Looking at the neatly organized pills laid out before him, a wide smile spread across Xiao Wei's face. His hands were still slightly warm from the last session, but his heart was full of pride.
"After this month of hard work, my chances of refining high-grade pills have really improved"Xiao Wei said happily, his voice echoing gently in the quiet cave.
The steady progress in both quantity and quality was clear proof that his Alchemy skills were evolving, step by step.
Over the course of the month, Xiao Wei's growth wasn't limited to alchemy alone—his Martial Techniques had also seen remarkable progress.
Day after day, after exhausting his Soul Power through pill refinement, he would spend hours practicing the Tiger Claw technique within the quiet, shadowy walls of the cave. Each movement grew sharper, more precise, and filled with a deeper understanding of the technique's power. Through relentless repetition and focus, he finally pushed the Tiger Claw technique to the level of Small Perfection. His strikes now carried a fierce momentum, resembling the ferocity of an actual tiger, with each claw-like attack cutting through the air with explosive force.
At the same time, his mastery over the Water Flow Steps also advanced. Every journey to and from the cave became a silent training session. He practiced the flowing, agile footwork through forests, rocky paths, and uneven terrain, slowly refining his control over balance and speed. By the end of the month, he had successfully reached the Initial Stage of the Water Flow Steps. Though still far from perfect, his movement had become much smoother, lighter, and harder to predict—like a stream slipping through cracks in stone.
With both his attack and mobility greatly improved, Xiao Wei's combat abilities had taken a clear step forward. The progress was steady and hard-earned, a result of tireless training and unshakable determination.
Suddenly, the quiet atmosphere of the cave was broken by a soft fluttering sound.
From the entrance side, the shadow bird zipped through the air and landed gently on Xiao Wei's shoulder.
Chirp! Chirp!
The bird let out a series of sharp, hurried chirps, hopping lightly on his shoulder as if trying to say something.
Xiao Wei paused, his brows furrowing. He turned his head slightly and looked at the bird.
"What is it?"Xiao Wei asked, sensing something wasn't right.
Instead of answering with another chirp, the Shadow Bird tugged at the sleeve of his robe with its beak, flapping its wings slightly. It pulled again, more forcefully this time, clearly trying to lead him somewhere.
Realizing the bird wasn't just acting out of restlessness, Xiao Wei stood up quickly, brushing the dust off his robe. He reached out to gently stroke the bird's head, then nodded.
"Alright, show me."Xiao Wei said.
The bird chirped once more, then took off to the cave entrance, Xiao Wei also followed the bird.
Xiao Wei followed the Shadow Bird out of the cave, his steps light and cautious as he moved through the trees. The bird flew just ahead, gliding swiftly through the forest as if it knew exactly where to go. After traveling a few hundred meters, the bird suddenly slowed, circling above a small clearing.
As Xiao Wei stepped into the open space, his eyes immediately locked onto a massive figure lying motionless on the ground, as his expression changed slightly.
"It's a Tier 1 Level 7 Fire Bear"Xiao Wei muttered, recognizing the beast by its thick, flame-tinted fur and massive claws.
The Fire Bear was a powerful creature known for its strength and fierce temper. Yet this one lay still, completely lifeless.
Cautiously, Xiao Wei approached, keeping his guard up. But as he got closer, he realized the beast wasn't simply resting—it was already dead.
Kneeling beside the body, he examined it carefully. The fur around the bear's stomach was torn open, and much of its flesh in that area was missing. The scent of blood still hung fresh in the air.
"It must have died only a few minutes ago. Looks like it was killed by another powerful monster… probably one that tore open its stomach and fed on its inner organs before leaving."Xiao Wei said in a quiet voice.
Though the idea was unsettling, Xiao Wei didn't waste the opportunity. A Level 7 Fire Bear's body was still incredibly valuable—its pelt, claws, and core could be used for various purposes, especially in crafting and alchemy.
And because it was night time, he didn't waste time and without hesitation, he flick of his hand and stored the massive corpse inside his Storege Ring. With one last glance at the surrounding trees, making sure nothing else was watching, he turned and headed back toward his cave.
After stepping back into the cave, Xiao Wei took a deep breath and take out the corpse of the Fire Bear from his Storage Ring. The massive body appeared with a heavy thud, landing on the cold ground. Its fur was singed and matted with blood, but even in death, the beast's size and presence were imposing.
Xiao Wei stepped closer, his expression calm and focused. He extended his right arm, palm facing upward, and slowly raised it into the air.
"Arise"Xiao Wei commanded, his voice low but firm, filled with a strange authority.
The moment the word left his lips, a dark, shadowy mist began to creep across the ground, drawn toward the bear's lifeless body. The mist thickened, swirling with eerie motion as if alive, responding to Xiao Wei's will.
The black mist enveloped the corpse, wrapping around it like tendrils of smoke. Slowly, the mist continued to gather, coalescing around the corpse. It twisted and turned, molding itself to the bear's shape, solidifying into a creature of pure shadow. Its form became clear: identical to the Fire Bear but now darker, like blackness.
The transformation completed, the Shadow Bear stood silently before Xiao Wei—powerful, still, and utterly obedient.
The newly formed Shadow Bear stood tall before Xiao Wei, its presence both majestic and eerie. Towering at nearly two meters in height, the creature was an imposing figure—its body shaped exactly like the Fire Bear it had once been, but now cloaked entirely in darkness.
Its eyes were a deep, shadowy black, giving off an unsettling sense of emptiness, as if they were voids gazing into the world. Along its back, patches of fur shimmered faintly, resembling flickering flames—though entirely black in color. The flaming-like patterns pulsed with a faint glow, giving the beast an dangerous aura, they are called Fire Bear because of the pattern even though they don't have anything related to fire.
Xiao Wei stood silently, his body felt slightly heavy, a sign of how much Spiritual Energy he had just spent. Beads of sweat clung to his brow, and his breathing was slower than usual.
"That used up a third of my Spiritual Energy... summoning something this strong with Shadow Summon ability really takes a toll."Xiao Wei muttered under his breath, his gaze still fixed on the Shadow Bear.
"I'll need to increase my Spiritual Energy reserves in future, if I want to control more creatures like this—or use them in actual combat."Xiao Wei muttered to himself.
Despite the strain, Xiao Wei couldn't help but feel satisfied. Now, with this Tier 1 Level 7 Shadow Bear at his side, he had some protection in this dangerous world.